Rotary engine



A. WATKINS. ROTARY ENGINE.

3 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

(Nol Model.)

Patemd Mar. 1, 1898.

A mab I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet I ROTARY ENGINE. No. 599,751. Pate fM@,1-.1,`1898.

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' A., WATKINS. 'Y ROTARY ENGINE. No. 599,751'.

PATENT FFICn.

ALFRED WATKINS, OF DESYMOINES, lOl/VA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

srncrnrcnrrolv forming part of Letters :Patent No. 599,751, dated March1, 189s.

Appncatitatiea nach 1, l1897.

resident of Des Moines, inthe countycof Polk and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and p `useful Rotary Engine, of which the following .intothe cylinder.

is a specification. t

The object of this invention is to provide Y improved means to utilizethe expansive force of `steam in the propulsion of mechanism. Myinvention consistsin the construction, arrangement', and combination ofelements hereinafter set forth,pointed out in my claims, and illustratedby the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 isa perspective ofthe engine with a'portion of the mechanism at one end of the cylinderremoved, thedotted lines indicating a series of chambers surrounding orpartially surrounding the cylinders and forming steamchests therefor.Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the engine longitudinally of 'themain shaft. Fig. 3 isa perspective of the engine similar to Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an end' elevation ofthe engine, partly in section. Fig. 5 is aperspective of the controlling-valve of the engine.- Fig. 6 isaperspective 'of one of two like valves of the engine. Fig. 7 is aperspective-of one of four like valves of the engine.

In the construction and operation of the engine, as shown, acasing 10 isprovided with a valvechamber 11, radially extending from the peripheryand near one end thereof, in which valve-chamber is mounted a plug l2,having a hand-lever 13 on its outer end. The valve-chamberll has twoparallel passages 14 l5, connected at their outer ends with ya commonsteam-pipe 16, passing through the valve-chamber. and into asteam-cylinder 17 within the casing 10. The plug 12 controls thepassages 14 15 and is provided with two other and register at timeswiththe passages 14 15, respectively. The plug 12 is a controlling -orreversing valve,`vina smuch as it 0011-y trols the entrance of thesteaml through one or another of two divergent passages 14 15 At theinner ends of and intersecting the passages14 15 is located a rotaryplug 20, also provided with' two trans verse ports 2l 22 at right anglesto eachother seal No. 625,607. (No model.)

and arranged to register at times with said passages 14 15,respectively. y The inner end portionof the passage14 communicatesdireotly with the steam-cylinder 17 and is the direct steam-passage tosaid cylinder, whereas passage diverges and connects with thesteam-cylinder at, a point removed from the passage 14 and is thereversing steam-passage to the engine. A cap-plate 23 is mounted on theleft end of the engine, as shown, and a main shaft 24 is positioned forrotation axially in the cap-plate and casing 10. A disk 25 is mounted'rigidly on the main shaft 24 within the `steam-cylinder 17 and isprovided with tons or heads 26 27. Each of the pistons comprises a plateradially seated in the periphery of the disk 25A and having a backingorvwear ing plate 28 yieldingly mounted therein and 'held by'yieldingpressure devices in traveling contact with the axial surface ofthesteamcylinder17. .A cam-wheel 29 is mounted rigidly on the main shaft24, at a little distance from the cap-plate 23, and is provided With acam-groove 30, annularthroughout the major portion of its length andhaving two abrupt short outwardly-extending cam portions 31 32 locatedon diametrically opposite portions of said cani-Wheel. Gates or backingheads 33 34 are .mounted slidingly in the casing 10 and extendtransversely of the steam-cylinder 17, to which gates are attachedcross-heads 35 36, running in the groove 30 and cam portions 31 32 ofsaid groove. 37 is located in the casing 10 diametrically opposite tothe-primary plug 2O and is of like construction thereto, being shown indetail in Fig. 6 as of the same construction. The secondary plug 37controls ports, or passages leading from one side or portion of thesteamcylinder 17 past one of the gates 33 34 'and into the other side orportion of said cylinder. A spur-gear 38 is mounted rigidly on the mainshaft 24 between theA cap-plate 23 and the cam-wheel 29 and meshes withand drives pinions 39 40 of like size and of like diameter to the spurgear, which pinions 39 40v are mounted on outer end portions of theprimary and secondary plugs 2O 27, respectively.

End to end with the steam-cylinder 17 is located-a steam-cylinder V41,closed by a capplate 42, forming part of the casing 10,whicl1'diametrically opposite radially-extending pis- A secondary plug t IOO.

cylinder 41 is of the same diameter and double the length of thecylinder 17. The steamcylinder 41 is partially surrounded by segmentalsteam chests or chambers 43 44 and is supplied with a disk 45, carryingpistons always at right angles to the pistons 26 27, and also providedwith gates 33 34. The gates workin g in the large cylinder 41 arecontrolled by cross-heads 46 47, traveling in the groove of thecam-Wheel 29, and another cam-Wheel 43, of like construction to the onedesignated as 29, is mounted on the main shaft 24 at a little distancefrom the cap-plate 42 and carrying the right ends of the cross-heads 3536 46 47, the cross-heads being provided with antifriction-rollersentering the grooves of the cam-Wheels. The steam-cylinder 41 also isprovided with primary and secondary plugs like unto the plugs 20 37,controlled by a train of gearing from the' main shaft on the right endof the engine.

A series of controlling-plugs A B C D are provided and governed bycranks 48 on their outer ends, Which cranks are connected with eachother and the operating-lever 13 by means of connecting-rods 40. Theplugs AB C D are shown in detail in Fig. 7 and are alike inconstruction.

In the practical operation of this device 11 ndei a boiler-pressure ofone hundred pounds to the square inch live steam enters through thesupply-pipe 16, through the controlling or reversing valve 12 and theprimary plug 2O and passage 14, into the steam-cylinder 17, between thegate 33 and the piston 26, forcing the piston 26 around to the port 50,at which time one-half of the steam being used exhausts through the port50 and plug A into the steam-chamber 5l, which is of segmental form andextends partially around the cylinder 17 Within the casing 10. Thepiston 26 moves along to a port 52, Where one-half of the remainder ofthe steam passes through a pipe 53 into the steam-chamber 43, from whichchamber the steam passes into the cylinder 41 and forces one of thepistons on the disk 45 part Way around and exhausts into a stack orcondensing-chamber, as desired. The piston 26 passes on to a port 54,Where the remainder of the steam exhausts through a pipe 55 into thesteam-chamber 44 and is forced v out by live steam having enteredagainst the piston 27 aft-er the gates 33 34 have been opened and closedby the offset portions of the cam-grooves in the cam-Wheels. Revertingto the steam-chamber 51, we find that it now contains about fifty poundsof steam. The steam leaves the chamber 51 through a port 56 and pipe 57and passes through the secondary plug 37 into the other half of thecylinder 17, the iirst exhaust of which passes through a port 53, theplug B, and pipe 59 into the steam-chamber 44. The second and lastexhaust is at port GO, through the plug B and pipe 61, into thesteam-chamber 43. The steam-chambers 43 44 each being equal in capacityto both chambers 51 and a like cham- ,ber 62 opposite thereto,and ports52 and 58 exhausting at the saine time,the steam is equally divided,giving an equal pressure in the chainbers 43 and 44 as Would be left inthe two portions of the cylinder 17. The steam-chambers 43 44 may beunited by a pipe, thus equalizing the pressure therein and gaining morepower with very little back pressure. Steam is now taken from thechamber 44 and passes into the cylinder 41, and after forcing one of thepistons or heads part way around in said cylinder it exhausts into astack or condenser, as desired. The steam from the chamber 43 passesinto the other half of the steam-cylin der 41 and moves the pistontherein part Way around and exhausts into a stack or condenser, asdesired. While the steam is traveling in this Way the plugs A and B areopen and the plugs C and D are closed. In reversing, thecontrolling-valve 12 is turned part Way around, opening the port 19therein and closing the port 1S, so that the steam may pass to andthrough the port 22 of the primary plug 20, and thence through a pipe 63to the other side of the gateand to a supply-port 64, at which time thesteam-chamber 5l becomes void and the steam-chamber 62 performsitsfunction; but the steam-chainbers 43 44 remain as heretofore describedand perform the same functions. The plugs A and B are closed and theplugs C and D are opened simultaneously with the lever 13. Vhen reversesteam enters from the boiler through the pipe 16, passage 15, port 19 ofthe controlling-plug 12, port 22 of the pri- Inary plug 20, and passesaround the gate 33 through the supply-port 64 into the cylinder' 17,forcing the piston or head around to a port 70, Where fifty per cent. ofthe pressure exhausts through said port and a pipe 71 into thesteam-chamber 62. The piston passes on to an exhaust-port 72, Wheretwelve and onehalf pounds of pressure passes through a pipe 73 into thesteam-chamber 43, having a back pressure of six and one-fourth pounds,and from here passes on as before. The steamchamber 62, containing aboutfifty pounds of steam, which now passes through a pipe 74, passing partway through the secondary plug 37, through a pipe 75, around the gate 34to a supply-port 76, enters the steam-cylinder 17 and forces the pistonor head to the exhaust-port 77, through a pipe 78 to the steamchamber44, and on to next and last exhaust 79, through a pipe 63 into thesteam-chamber 43, having a back pressure of six and onefourth pounds.The pipes should be provided With check-valves to prevent the steamreturning. The steamis shut off just before the first exhaust in eachpart of the steamcylinders and is kept shut off by the primary andsecondary plugs until the piston is past all exhausts and nextsucceeding gates and the gates' are closed.

All of the above operation is based upon the proposition that allchambers are empty at the beginning; but now there is an accumu- IOO IIO

lation, as each steam-chamber supplies only one-half of the steamcontained therein to the cylinder. Therefore after four or fiverevolutions of the first piston there is one hundred poundsboiler-pressure on the first piston of the cylinder 17 and a meanaverage pressure of forty-nine and one-half pounds on V the other pistonof said cylinder, a mean average pressure of twenty-four pounds andtwelve pounds on the pistons in the cylinder 41, which, beingtwicethearea of eacli piston in the cylinder 17, are equivalent in pressure toabout fifty-four pounds on the first'piston in thecylinder 17, as thesteam is working on both sides of the pistons in the cylinder 41 at thesame time with a mean average pressure of thirteen and one-half pounds,providing at least double the power had at the initial movement.. Bycondensation from the steamchambers 43 44 ata vacuum-pressure of aboutnine pounds per square inch there is a gain equivalent to thirty-sixpounds pressure on the first piston in the cylinder 17 from the onehundred pounds boiler-pressure, the

only back pressure being, as shown above, used `on the last exhaust fromthe cylinder 17 and that and the loss by expansion upon the first andllast exhausts in the cylinder 17 is overcome by the auxiliary pressurefrom the cylinders 43 and 44 being set quarterly with the cylinder 17,and therefore supply steam to the cylinder 41 while the cylinderv 17 isexhausting into the steam-chambers 43 and 44, therefore giving a greaterpressure, as the full pressure from exhausts through the cylinder 17 iskept uphalf-way of the travel of and 44.

the pistons in the cylinder 41.v In addition to the above there may beadded an extra cylinder with twice the capacityof the cylinder 41 andexhausts from the chambers 43 and 44 into it instead of into a stack orcondensingchamber, and then condense from the extra cylinder, whichwould again add a greater power than condenses from the chambers 43 Theextra cylinder may be applied,

if desired, and forms a part of this invention.

back pressure except in thelast exhaust in the steam-cylinders, thesupplemental cylinder having twice the capacity of the primary cylinder,thereby reducing the back pressure to a minimum.

Another desirable feature in my invention is to be found in theeconomical cost of constructing the same for a given horse-power and inthe economy with which it may be lubricated, as the oil enters the firstcylinder and passes through all 'of the cylinders and chambers before itcan escape in the exhaust.

A further feature of value is to be found in the compactness andlightness of the engine, especially recommending it for marine service,where space and economy of fuel and boiler space, simplicity, and theminimum of attention are material items.

For extra speed it will be necessary to gear the engine up, as theordinary speed of the main shaft is designed to be about one hundredrevolutions per minute.

I claim as my inventionu 1. In a rotary engine, a cylindrical casingdivided by a transverse partition to produce two steam-cylinders ofunequal length andv each cylinder provided with two concentric segmentalsteam-chambers diametrically opposite to each other and communicatingwith each other and means for regulating the passage of steam from thefirst or small cylinder into the segmental chambers connected therewithand from said chambers to other half of small steam-cylinder from whichit passes to larger segmental chamber and from this to largersteam-cylinder, from which it exhausts or is condensed; thus used forpurposes stated.

2. In a rotary engine a valve-chamber having a straight passagecommunicating direct with a cylinder and a second and parallel passagethat diverges at its inner end, and communicates with the cylinder at apoint some distance from the termination of the other passage,a rotaryplug-valve in the 'top or outer portion of said chamber having ports inrightangled positions to each other to successively lcommunicate withsaid passages, a second rotary plug in the lower or vinner portion ofthe valve-chamber having ports in right-angled position to each other, acylinder having ports at some distance apart and communicating with thepassages in the valve-chamber, and means for operating the valves,arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth for thepurposes stated.

IOO

IIO

3. Ina rotary engine a valve, a valve-chamber having a straight passagecommunicating' direct with a cylinder and a second and parallel passagethat diverges at its inner end and communicates with the cylinder at apoint Y tal chambers in their cylindrical walls and' communicating witheach other, and valves for controlling the passage of steam from thefrom said segmentalchambers to the second first cylinder to itssegmental-chambers and and larger cylinder, and from said secondcylinder to exhaust or condensing chamber, and means for operating thevalves, arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth for thepurposes stated.

4. In a rotaryen gine, two concentric steamcylinders each havingsegmental steam-chambers in their walls, a valve-chamber, havingpassages communicating with one of the cylinders at different points, aValve for controlling the passage of steam from the iirst steamcylinderto the second chamber; a hub or disk in each cylinder having radialpistons and fixed to a rotating shaft, and gearing for connectin g thesaid shaft with the said valves arranged and combined to operate in themanner set forth for the purposes stated.

5. In a rotary engine, two steam-cylinders in concentric positions, avalve-chamber having two passages communicating with one of ALFREDVATKINS.

Witnesses:

W. H. MOORE, THOMAS G. ORWIG.

